£1.2 million ‘Think Bike’ campaign this spring

Drivers will be told to look out for bikes in a £1.2mllion government campaign this spring.

The ‘Think bike’ campaign will run from March to April, to coincide with many riders returning to the roads after winter.

The Department for Transport plans to spend more on the initiative than almost any other road safety campaign this year.

Funding of £1.275million has been set aside for the motorcycling campaign, compared to £53,000 for cycle safety, £78,000 for child safety, £50,000 for young drivers and £1.685million for drink-drive campaigns.

The figures were released in response to a Freedom of Information enquiry by the Institute of Advanced Motorists. The enquiry also revealed total spending on road safety campaigns had shrunk from £19million in 2008/09 to an anticipated £3.7million in 2012/13.

The IAM welcomed the efforts to improve motorcycle safety but said spending should increase in other areas.

The group’s director of policy, Neil Greig, said: “The successful drink driving and biker campaigns have raised awareness of these issues and they both appear to be working.

"The government needs to match that kind of expenditure and take the safety of children and cyclists seriously.”